Not of This World
by Kitty Lark
Summary: BtVS/DC Comics Buffy is gone. Betrayed by those she called friends, Dawn winds up in a completely different world, into the hands of a power-hungry man. Events are set into motion and when things come to a head, will we see a new dawn? Or the end?
1. Preface

Title: Not of This World

Author: Kitty Lark

Pairing: Dawn/Robin

Rating: PG

Genre: BtVS/DC Comics Crossover.

Spoilers: The end of BtVS Season 5.

Summary: Buffy is gone. Betrayed by those she called friends, Dawn winds up in a completely different world, into the hands of a power-hungry man. Events are set into motion and when things come to a head, will we see a new dawn? Or the end?  
Disclaimer: All things BtVS belong to Joss Whedon. The JLA, the YJ and etc. belong to DC Comics. The plot and story is mine though.  
Distribution: Twisting the Hellmouth, and my own site, The Residence of Kitty Lark's Fanfics. And no where else.  
Note: This is just a sort of preface to give information for the fic. The story will begin with the next post. (Please check out my site. It has lots of cool stuff, like fanart and character info!)\/p

What you need to know to understand this story:

In the **DC Universe**, there are hundreds of superheroes and several different superhero teams. The ones that I will be using for sure in my story are the JLA and Young Justice. Mainly Young Justice. There are two other teams, the JSA and the Titans, which I might mention along the line, and if I do, I'll explain them then. If you want more complete details about these characters then I give here you can check out the character profiles at my site.

**Justice League of America** or **JLA**: A superhero organization created to handle Earth-wide threats or problems beyond the power of conventional enforcement groups. If asked, the JLA will come to the assistance of other planets but their main duty is to protect Earth. The JLA's base of operations is the Watchtower, which is located on the Moon. Current active members: **Superman**, a.k.a. Clark Kent, reporter for the Daily Planet; **Batman**, a.k.a. Bruce Wayne, multimillionaire industrialist and philanthropist; **Martian Manhunter**, also known as J'onn J'onzz with several alter egos; **Wonder Woman**, also known as Diana, Princess of the Amazons; **Aquaman**, also known as Arthur Curry or Orin, King of Atlantis and the seven seas; **Flash**, a.k.a. Wally West, full time superhero; **Plastic** **Man**, a.k.a. Eel O'Brian, security consultant and ex-thief; and the** Green Lantern**, a.k.a. Kyle Rayner, a cartoonist for Feast magazine. Also a secret member, **Oracle**, a.k.a. Barbara Gordon, who manages several computers from her home and provides information for the superhero and metahuman community. The JLA also has several reserve members, including the former Guardian Angel **Zauriel**, the magician **Zatanna**, the machine-enhanced man **Steel**, and the size-changing **Atom**.

**Young Justice **or** YJ**: They hate being called the "Junior JLA" but that's basically what they are: a group of kids that fight crime and struggle to live up to their mentors. Robin, Superboy, and Impulse first joined together to save the world when all the grown-ups were kidnapped. The trio decided to stick together and form a team, which was dubbed Young Justice by a reporter. And gradually they grew to their current lineup: **Robin**, a.k.a. Timothy "Tim" Drake, age 15, current sidekick to Batman, expert in martial arts, computers, and detective skills; **Superboy**, a.k.a. Kon-El, age 16, cloned "cousin" of Superman and possesses tactile telekinesis; **Impulse**, a.k.a. Bartholomew "Bart" Allen, age 14, speedster from the future and cousin to the current Flash; **Wonder Girl**, a.k.a. Cassandra "Cassie" Sandsmark, age 15, empowered by Zeus with a fraction of Wonder Woman's abilities; **Secret**, a.k.a. Greta "Suzie" Hayes, age 13, body in a constant gaseous form and warder of the dead; **Empress**, a.k.a. Anita Fite, age 15, ferocious warrior with limited mind-control and teleportation abilities and practices Vodoun (voodoo); and **Lil****' Lobo**, a four hundred year old Czarnian bounty hunter magically de-aged into to a teenager.

**Red Tornado**, a.k.a. John Smith, is the official adult advisor to Young Justice and was once a member of the JLA. He is an android that was built by the evil scientist T.O. Morrow and animated with the living elemental essence of the Rannian "Tornado Champion." Red Tornado rebelled against his creator, choosing to be a hero instead. Other companions of YJ include **Cissie**** King-Jones**, formerly Arrowette and member of YJ and **Traya**** Smith**, the nine-year-old adopted daughter of Red Tornado. The current headquarters of the team is located in an abandoned Catskill Mountains resort that is subsidized by Wayne Enterprises.

Oh and you guys should probably know who **Lex**** Luthor** is. He is the main adversary of Superman and has also led the Injustice Gang in attempts to destroy the JLA. The general public thinks he's a good guy but most super heroes know better. He always manages to get away without getting charged with anything or being imprisoned, covering his tracks and using underlings. Powers Highly Intelligent. Vast personal fortune and company assets. History Luthor grew up without any advantages. As a child, he grew up with foster parents who tried to wrest away his small inheritance. Luthor managed to use his keen mind and vast intelligence to build LexCorp from scratch. Currently, LexCorp basically owns Metropolis. Only Superman's presence prevents him from obtaining absolute power over Metropolis and the rest of the world. He views Superman as a sneaky alien with ulterior motives and will do anything to take him down. Basically, Luthor's goal in life is to rule the world and he's determined to reach that goal by any means necessary.

In the **Buffy Universe**, you should at least know everything up to the end of season five, when Buffy died to save Dawn's life. If you don't know who Buffy or Dawn is, then you're not a fan of BtVS and probably shouldn't read this fanfic. I'll also allude to Angel and his gang and Wolfram & Hart, so you probably should have seen at least a few episodes, if not the first two seasons.


	2. Prologue

**Not of This World**

A Buffy the Vampire Slayer & DC Comics Crossover

**Prologue**

It was the night of a full moon. A night when werewolves usually come out to play. And a good night for vampires to roam. But at a tall building in L.A., most dark creatures were staying away. There was power in the air. Power of an evil sort.

At the center of the power at the top of the building three tall pale creatures in black robes and hoods stood chanting around a pentagram drawn in blood on the rooftop. In the center of the pentagram, banging her fists against the magical shield that kept her in place, was a fourteen-year-old girl with long brown hair and wide blue eyes.

"You can't do this to me! I'm not a possession you can sell! I'm a person!" yelled the girl, panic starting to set in.

The girl was yelling at a dark brunette woman standing nearby. She wore a business suit and was carrying a briefcase, the word 'lawyer' radiating from her very being. The woman gave the teenager a condescending smile. "You don't understand. We've already done it. All that's left to do is to deliver the goods to the buyer. Which is not as simple as it may seem since he lives in another dimension."

The robed creatures' chanting sped up, reaching a crescendo. Magic crackled like lightning all around the girl. A bright light, shimmering in a multitude of colors, began forming in the center with her. She began to scream.

"No! You can't do this! Please! NOOO!"

In a flash of brightness, the light disappeared, taking the girl with it. A ringing broke the silence and the brunette woman drew out a cell phone, answering the call. "She has arrived safely then? Good. This concludes our transaction, Mr. Luthor. Our two dimensions are now sealed off from each other so your white hat problem does not become our white hat problem. Good-bye."

_**In a whole other universe . . .**_

A tall bald man regally closed his cell phone and handed it back to his statuesque blonde assistant. Stepping forward, he studied the young teenaged girl kneeling in bewilderment in the center of a pentagram identical to the one she left. She looked up, a slight daze in her eyes, after effects of the transdimensional spell.

"So. You're the innocent little girl with the power to destroy the universe," remarked the man. "Appearances can truly be deceiving."

The girl met the cold eyes of the man who now owned her and felt a shiver go up her spine. Her sister, the one person able to protect her, was gone. And now she was in a strange world with no way of getting home. Who could help her now?

Far away in another city, a teenaged boy slept and was visited in his dreams by a person who determinedly protected the ones she loved, even after death.

\/p> 


	3. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Far away in Gotham City, a fifteen-year-old boy tossed and turned in his bed. His black hair was matted with sweat and his blue eyes were closed in sleep. A restless sleep filled with strange dreams . . .

. . . _The boy knew this house. And he knew the young blonde woman standing in front of it. He had dreamed of this house and this woman for the past three nights. But something was different this time. And then the boy realized. The girl that usually watched from the upstairs window while he and the woman talked was outside, sitting on the front steps, staring at apparently nothing._

_As he approached, he could finally see what she looked like. She was about his age, with long soft brown hair, blue eyes lighter than his own, and a slim figure. She was pretty he noted but appeared incredibly sad. Somehow he knew he could not speak with her and approached the young woman like he usually did._

_"Hello Tim," she greeted as usual._

_"Hello," he replied. "Why is she so sad?"_

_"She's not at home anymore. HE has her," the blonde answered, as if that explained everything._

_"Who is HE?" asked the boy._

_The woman ignored his question, rambling on. "She's my sister, you know. I promised to take care of her, to protect her. But now I can't."_

_"Why can't you?"_

_"I'm dead," replied the young woman matter-of-factly._

_"Oh." The boy adjusted his stance. "If you're dead, why are you here? What is this all about?"_

_The young woman stared intently into his eyes. "You have to understand. She's not of your world. She's special in a way you could never imagine. That's why HE took her."_

_"What's so special about her?"_

_"You'll see. If HE has his way, you'll see. And then it'll be to late."_

_Tim was frustrated. "Too late for what? Stop being so vague and just tell me!"_

_"You're not ready yet. But you will be. You have to be. Dawn is already here. The countdown has begun."_

_"Dawn? What countdown? Tell me!"_

_"Can't tell.__ Afraid to speak. Who can help me now?" whispered the girl on the steps. Tim whirled around, startled, only to find the house had disappeared, to be replaced with a pentagram painted on cement with what looked like blood. He glanced wildly around to see that they were now located on a rooftop in the middle of a city and the sky had changed from day to night. The girl stood in the middle of the pentagram, crying and pleading, surrounded by three pale creatures in dark robes chanting in a language he did not recognize._

_"No! You can't do this! Please! NOOO!"_

_There was a flash of light and the girl was sucked away into what looked like a portal. The boy ran forward but it was too late. She was gone. The robed creatures and the pentagram faded away like they had never been there. "No! What happened? Where did she go? Why didn't you stop it?"_

_The young woman looked at him sadly. "I'm dead, remember? I couldn't."_

_At her reply, he glanced down, ashamed. She stepped up to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I can't tell you everything. Not now. But you will know all soon. Be prepared. My sister needs a protector. Are you willing to take that role?"_

_The boy hesitated for only a moment, then nodded. "I'm willing. But why me? Who are you? And just who is your sister?"_

_The young woman turned the boy around, to see the sun rising in the distance. "Who am I? My name is Buffy. And she is Dawn."_

_Moving her hand, the woman closed his eyes, then whispered in his ear. "And as to why? You are the lock of this world. It was meant to be. Remember all that I have said." Straightening, she said, "That is all I can tell you for now. We'll speak again soon. It is time for you to wake. Wake up Tim!"_

"Wake up Tim!"

With a start, Timothy Drake, a.k.a. Robin, sidekick to the Batman, awoke and tumbled out of bed.

\/p> 


	4. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Wake up Tim!"

With a start, Timothy Drake, a.k.a. Robin, sidekick to the Batman, awoke and tumbled out of bed. At the foot of the stairs, his father, Jack Drake, shouted once again.

"Tim! Wake up! You're going to be late for school!"

"I'll be right down!" Hurriedly Tim untangled himself from his blankets and searched for his clothes. Once dressed, he grabbed his backpack and ran downstairs. Eyeing the clock, he opted to have cereal. As he ate, he thought back on the weird dreams that had been disturbing his sleep for three nights in a row now. Between being a sidekick to Batman and the leader of a superhero team like Young Justice, he got as little sleep as it is without these dreams interrupting his slumber. He was afraid to tell anyone else, especially Bruce. He didn't know what the dreams meant and until he figured them out, he didn't want anyone else to know.

Finishing his breakfast, Tim called out a rushed "Bye!" to his dad, who was just starting his car to go to work and then hurried to school. School was par the norm that day, with the continuous droning of his teachers and the loading up of homework assignments. But it was Friday, so the mood was slightly fervent as his teenaged peers made plans for the weekend. For him, he knew there would probably be the regular patrols at night and the weekly YJ meeting Saturday afternoon. Unless a crisis came up. But you never know with Young Justice. Some of their adventures had certainly been weird, like playing a game of baseball to win a planet's freedom or the super-cycle (a flying alien motorcycle that can seat six and has a mind of its own) dragging them to New Genesis because it was having a _breeding_ cycle!

Tim shook his head as he entered his home, thinking back on those adventures. Suddenly he heard a beeping noise and realized it was his YJ communicator. Racing to the privacy of his room, he flipped it on. "Robin here. What's up?"

"Hey Rob." It was Superboy. "Don't worry. It's not an emergency. We were just wondering that if The Bat hasn't mapped out your whole weekend yet, if you wanted to come to a Sensation concert with the gang. I got free tickets for tonight when I saved them from a fire the other day. The others already agreed. So what do you say?"

Tim hesitated for only a second. After all, this was _Sensation_ he was talking about here. "I'll meet you at Gotham City limits. I'll be in the usual get up."

"See you in a few Wonder."

Tim shook his head at the nickname as he dressed in a hooded sweatshirt and baggy jeans. Dick Grayson, the first Robin and who was like a surrogate brother to him, had been known as the Boy Wonder. So Kon-El had taken to calling him Wonder Boy. Knowing he had to always be prepared, he packed his costume and utility belt in his backpack. To complete his ensemble he wore large sunglasses to hide his identity, since his teammates didn't know who he really was. As a member of the Bat Clan, he wasn't allowed to tell, for Batman, known for his paranoia, feared such a revelation would lead to revealing his own identity.

Using the Redbird, he reached the city limits under fifteen minutes and found the members of Young Justice dressed in civilian clothing, waiting with the super-cycle under the large sign that read YOU ARE NOW LEAVING GOTHAM CITY. The whole gang really was there: Kon-El (Superboy), Cassie (Wonder Girl), Suzie (Secret), Anita (Empress), Lil' Lobo, Cissie, and Bart (Impulse), who was speed pacing the length of the sign. He was a little surprised to see Cissie but after all, she was still their friend, even if she had retired from being a superhero.

"If you had been one more minute, I would have sent Bart after you," said Kon as Tim stashed his car. Glancing at his friends, he saw they looked a little ragged. But then hanging around Bart when he was forced to wait on something can do that to you. The kid just could not physically stay still for more than two seconds.

"Whatarewewaitingfor? Robinshere, letsgo," called Bart as he zipped into the front seat of the super-cycle and began taping his foot at several miles an hour. It took a minute to decipher what he had said but by now, they were all used to doing it. He had gotten better about speed talking but still lapsed now and then.

They all piled into the super-cycle. Tim took the handles of the driver's seat, which was located in the middle. The super-cycle was more loyal and attuned to him after all, appearing at his side whenever he whistled for it. Bart and Cissie squeezed into the front, while Kon, Cassie, Suzie, Anita, and Lobo sat in the back. In a moment they were in the air and flying towards Metropolis, where the concert was being held. They arrived just as the concert was beginning.

Sensation was a rock band consisting of three guys and two girls, all in their early twenties. The band had appeared on the music scene only a year ago and had quickly risen to popularity. While Tim and his friends all had varied tastes in different things, they all agreed that Sensation's music was their favorite.

"Hello Metropolis! We are Sensation and we are here to make sure you have a rocking good time! Burner y'all!" And with that, the band opened up with their latest hit song, "Insanity".

"They lock you up

Throw out the key

And try to steal

Your sanity."

"They break you down

And sweep away

Your memories

Of better days."

"Insanity! Insanity!

Whatever happened to humanity?"

The members of Young Justice quickly jostled and shoved their way towards the front of the crowd, with Kon and Cassie discreetly using their super-strength to pave the way. Once they had a reasonable good view, they began to dance with the music and sing out loud the lyrics, except for Suzie, whom because of who and what she was, had to hide in a pair of binoculars around Cassie's neck. But she was still able to appreciate the music.

As Tim began to relax and have a good time, he counted himself lucky he had friends like these he could hang out with. And again wondered if he should tell them his real name. But tonight was for fun. He could save all that serious thinking for tomorrow and just be a teenager for the present moment, like the rest. After all, moments like these were hard to come by.

"I'm reduced to a number

A pog in the machine

Involuntary member

They try to take your dreams."

"They steal away the sunshine

Infect me with their sin

A square peg in a round hole

Don't try to press me in."

Suddenly Tim felt a tingly sensation at the back of his neck. Like someone was watching him. He began to subtly glance around but he was in the middle of a huge crowd. Anybody could be watching him. It was probably something harmless, like a girl noticing he was wearing sunglasses at night. But he was too well trained by Batman to just let it slide. He tried to get back to enjoying the concert but he was too tense.

As the closest one to him, Cissie noticed. "Hey Rob, what's the matter?"

Both Cassie and Kon heard and took notice. "Hey Wonder Boy, lose your rhythm?"

Before Tim could form a retort, he saw a flash of brown out of the corner of his eye. Turning to look, he received one of the biggest shocks of his life. It was the girl from his dreams! It was Dawn! And she was the one watching him!

"They're going to come and get you

You better watch your back

When you least expect it

That's when they attack."

"For just beneath this surface

In this empty shell

Lives this tiny phrase

You will burn in my hell."

"Dawn!" Shouting above the music, Tim wondered if she could hear him. And why he had shouted. He didn't know her. Didn't even know if that was her name.

The brown-haired teenager gaped at him, her blue eyes wide. She had heard him. And by the look on her face, it was her name. Immediately turning around, she began to shove her way through the hordes of people as she attempted to flee.

"Dawn, wait!" Tim quickly tried to follow.

"Robin, what are you doing?" cried Cassie.

"Where are you going? Rob!" called Kon. In unspoken agreement, Kon, Cassie, and Cissie began to chase after their friend, leaving Anita and Lobo to wonder what the heck was going on. Bart suddenly appeared beside the two laden with drinks and snacks. "Hey, where did everybody go?"

Tim caught up with Dawn just outside, before she could disappear into the streets. "Will you wait a minute? I just want to talk to you!"

Kon, Cassie, and Cissie appeared behind Tim, watching their leader and the girl in puzzlement. Dawn kept her distance, eyeing them all warily. "How did you know my name?"

"Uh, Rob, who is she? And why did you have to chase her down?" asked Kon covertly.

Tim ignored him, concentrating solely on the frightened girl before him. "I've been having dreams, where a woman comes to talk to me. She claims she was your sister. She told me your name. You've been in the dreams too. Up until now, I didn't really believe her. But then I saw you."

Dawn took a step back. "That's impossible. You're lying. It couldn't have been my sister."

"It was your sister. She said her name was Buffy. And that she used to protect you. But she can't anymore. She's dead."

At his words, Dawn suddenly looked lost and confused, her eyes becoming glassy as tears pooled into them. "How could you know that? Why would Buffy visit you?"

Tim stepped forward cautiously. His friends hung back, uncertain.

"I don't know. She wouldn't tell me. I was kind of hoping you would know."

Clutching her hands, Dawn gave a slight shake of her head in the negative. Abruptly there was a loud squeal of tires as three black vans pulled up to the side of the building. Five men in dark suits exited from each van and headed in their direction.

"Now what's happening?" exclaimed Cassie.

The men ignored Tim and his friends completely as they walked briskly towards Dawn, who quickly became aware of that fact. But not quick enough. Two of the men seized her arms before she could even start to run.

Dawn struggled against their grip. "No! I won't go back! He does not own me!"

Tim stood in their path, blocking the way. "Let her go! It's obvious she doesn't wish to go with you."

"Get out of the way. This is none of your business," ordered one of the men, the only blonde among them. He seemed to be the one in charge.

Kon and Cassie stepped up besides Tim, Cissie wisely choosing to stay out of the way. Kon cracked his knuckles. "He told you to let the girl go."

The men glared at the kids in their way. Dawn paused in her struggles, daring to hope. "Like I said before, this is none of your business. We're just returning a runaway to her guardian. It'd be best for you kids not to get involved."

"Aren't you wondering why she's fighting so hard not to go back? Maybe you should question her guardian on how he treats her," commented Cassie, her fists at the ready. Off to the side, Anita, Lobo, and Bart appeared near Cissie, staring at the tense scene with mixed curiosity and concern. Suzie sneaked out of Cassie's binoculars and hovered as a smoke tendril in a shadow nearby, in case she was needed.

"It's not our place to question Mr. Luthor about his personal affairs."

Kon nearly choked on his own tongue. "Luthor? As in Lex Luthor?"

The other members of Young Justice looked equally shocked.

"Lex Luthor is her guardian? Mon, no wonder she ran away," remarked Anita in her thick New Orleans accent.

"And I thought my mother was evil," added Cissie.

Tim thought back to his dreams, Buffy's warnings running through his head. _HE took her . . . If HE has his way . . ._ Was Luthor the one she had been talking about?

"Now get out of our way," ordered the blonde man once again.

Kon and Cassie stepped forward menacingly but Tim held up his hands, making them halt. "We'll get out of your way now. But by tomorrow, there will be people looking into this. I guarantee it."

Tim couldn't meet Dawn's eyes, instead locking his gaze on the men who dragged her away. He could hear her crying and struggles though, as she was loaded into one of the vans. Minutes later, the vans drove away, taking Dawn back to Lex Luthor.

The others watched though and then rounded on their leader. "Why didn't you let us do anything Rob? We could have taken them!" demanded Kon.

"Yes, we could have. And then we could have been taken up on charges of kidnapping. I want to help her just as much you but first we need a way of doing it without getting in trouble."

"He's got a point, Kon," said Cissie.

"But what was that stuff about dreaming about her, Robin? And about her dead sister? I think you owe us an explanation," announced Cassie.

Tim glanced at the accusing looks of his friends and sighed. Well, there went having a normal, fun night hanging at a concert with his friends. As the members of Young Justice left Metropolis to head to their headquarters in the Catskill Mountains of New York, Tim began to describe his dreams of the past three nights.

"They lock you up

Throw out the key

And try to steal

Away your sanity!"

"They take control

Of what you see

Your soul's tied down

And you've lost your freedom!"

Elsewhere, in a high estate mansion in Metropolis, a young teenager stood before an intimidating tall, bald man as he listened to report of the men who brought her there.

" . . . They were definitely the meddlesome types, Mr. Luthor. And they will probably try to have the validity of your guardianship investigated."

"I see. Coming up with a cover story for her existence will be easy. But it does complicate matters." Luthor turned his cold gaze to the girl. "You are turning out to be quite troublesome, Dawn. I will have to step up my plans for you. But in the end, I think the price I paid was worth it, if everything falls through accordingly."

Dawn glared back in defiance, trying to hide her fear. Just what were his plans for her? And why did she think she wouldn't live to see the end result?

Luthor turned his attention back to his men. "Double the guard around her. Tomorrow I will be holding a press conference and I did not want her to slip away again, understood?"

"Understood, Sir."

And with that, Dawn was led back to her rooms and locked in. It was the largest room she had ever stayed in, with its own bathroom and a walk in closet. But it was all just a cover, to make it appear as if she was well off in this place. She wasn't. Staying here, under Luthor's control, would certainly lead to her death.

Flinging herself on the large bed, Dawn began to sob. She wanted her sister back. She wanted her mom back. And she wanted to be home again. Even if her home was located over a Hellmouth, it was an evil that she was familiar with and could deal with. But in this place, she was helpless.

And that boy. She had run into the concert, hoping to lose Luthor's goons in the crowds. Instead she runs into him. For a moment, she thought he would be able to help her. But he couldn't. How could he? He was just some boy. Or was he? Why did he seem familiar to her? And was he really telling the truth? How did he know so much? Why would Buffy visit him in his dreams? Why not her? Dawn eventually fell into an exhausted sleep, her mind troubled and her face stained with tears.

**Author's Note:** The group Sensation is entirely fiction. The song "Insanity" came from a Japanese anime movie. Full lyrics are shown at my site.


	5. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**7:00 a.m.****: YJ Headquarters in the ****Catskill Mountains**** of ****New York**

Robin woke up slowly, finding he had several aches and pains along his body. And it was no wonder, sense he had fallen asleep over the supercomputer in the monitor room of YJ headquarters. He hadn't gotten much sleep, staying up late to hack into Luthor's company files and databases. He also hadn't gotten far, since most of the encryptions were nearly as tough as the ones Oracle used.

He did find some documents claiming that one Dawn Summers, age fourteen, was Luthor's ward and that her parents had died in a car accident one week ago. But there was no mention of any siblings, let alone a sister named Buffy. And though there were records of Dawn's birth, there was none for her parents or where they got married or where they worked or any school records for Dawn. There were no newspaper articles about the accident or even an obituary. So either Luthor covered it up or her parents didn't exist. What was going on?

Robin was interrupted from his thoughts by Superboy and Wonder Girl entering the monitor room, fully dressed in hero costume. "Morning Rob. You didn't stay up all night, did you?"

Robin stood, stretching out his limbs to relieve some of his aches. "No. But I might as well have, for all the sleep I got."

"Did you dream about that Dawn girl and her sister again?" asked Wonder Girl, as she took a seat at the monitoring station. She began scanning the local channels. Like the JLA, they kept an eye on news reports for any signs of criminal activity or natural disaster, although the JLA monitored on a global scale.

Robin frowned. "I didn't. But that may be because I didn't sleep long enough. Or because I met Dawn in person, so I don't need anymore messages. But I doubt it."

"Were you able to learn anything new after all that work?" asked Superboy, eyeing the files displayed on the screens.

Robin sighed. "Not much. It's as if she didn't even exist until Luthor took custody of her."

"Why don't you contact Oracle? She's good at finding information," suggested Secret, as she floated into the room. Impulse zoomed in right behind her and began playing a video game on a spare computer. Superboy shook his head at him.

Robin paused before answering. "I should. But I wanted to avoid involving any adults in this for awhile. I didn't want to answer their questions about my dreams when I don't have any answers to give."

"So don't mention the dreams," replied Superboy.

"Batman will know something is up. He'll be suspicious of why I'm so interested in this girl and how I know so much about her. And not mentioning anything about Buffy or the dreams might impede the investigation."

"You don't know that. Just don't let on you know anything. Because you don't. Not until you understand more about the dreams. Just tell him you witnessed some goons carrying off a girl, claiming they were returning her to her guardian, Lex Luthor. That is what happened and the mere mention of Luthor's name will make him want to investigate," suggested Cissie as she walked into the room. She usually didn't spend the night at YJ headquarters because she attended a boarding school but she said hang the consequences, for after last night, she didn't feel like dealing with her snobby classmates. Traya, her roommate, was Red Tornado's daughter and was in the know about their identities, so she would cover for her.

"Alright." Robin flipped on his com link and began to signal Oracle. Oracle, otherwise known as Barbara Gordon, was the foremost hacker and information provider of the superhero community. Only the Bat Clan and the JLA knew her identity.

"Oracle? It's Robin. Look, I'm sending some information on a person and I was hoping you could dig up more on her," said Robin. At the same time, his fingers flew over the keyboard as he did just what he was saying.

"There's not much information here. And . . . Lex Luthor has a ward? Since when did he become interested in being a father figure? Why do you want me to investigate this?" came the reply in a computerized voice.

"The gang and I ran into her last night at the Sensation concert. And she didn't look too happy to be going home to Luthor. He sent some hired muscle to retrieve her. Luthor never does anything without some hidden purpose or gain and I'm suspicious of how Dawn came into his custody. There are hardly any records of her. So could you look into it please?"

"You're right. It does appear shady. I'll look into it. And I'll notify Batman about it as well. Oracle out."

Robin leaned back in his chair. "Well, that's done. Now what do we do?"

"How about we have breakfast? I made pancakes and waffles for everyone," came a voice. It was Empress, wearing an apron over her costume, and flour dusting her nose. At the mention of breakfast, Impulse was already out the door and heading for the dining area. Everyone rose to follow.

"Wait a sec, guys. There's something on the news about Lex Luthor," announced Wonder Girl, as she switched the channel to the large main screen and turned up the volume. They all turned to watch, just as Lobo walked sleepily into the room.

"This morning, Lex Luthor called for a press conference to meet outside the LexCorp building in Metropolis at ten o'clock, as he will be making an announcement as to a recent change in his personal life. There has been much speculation as to what this announcement will be and some rumors say that Mr. Luthor has taken on a young ward, which would be pretty amazing if its true. Mr. Luthor has been married twice before and has since been divorced twice, never producing a child in these marriages. It may be that he has decided to adopt an heir, like Gotham City millionaire Bruce Wayne did, instead of producing an heir naturally. We won't know for certain until ten a.m. But know for certain faithful viewers that my crew and I will be there to cover it all live. This is Ace Atchinson, of CDTV."

Wonder Girl switched it off and swiveled her chair around to look at her teammates. "Suspicious, isn't it? He's only now telling the world that he has a ward after we ran into her last night? Did he plan on keeping her existence a secret?"

Robin rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Our meeting Dawn might have changed his plans a bit. But why would he need to keep her secret? Unless he plans on doing something to her that he doesn't want to call attention to. But what?"

Superboy was about to add something when suddenly, his stomach growled. "Uh, maybe we should continue puzzling over this after breakfast. That is, if Imp left us any."

The whole group laughed at Superboy's stomach, lessening the tension that was beginning to build up. They headed to the dining area to eat the breakfast Anita made for them. Though Impulse had eaten a great deal, Empress had accounted for that and there was still plenty leftover for the rest of them. 

* * *

**7:00 a.m.****: Kent-Lane Apartment in Metropolis.**

As Lois Lane stepped out of the bathroom after finishing blow-drying her hair, her nose was assaulted by the smell of freshly brewed coffee. With a superhero for a husband, they didn't get a chance to relax together very often over breakfast and coffee in the morning. Instead, she usually had it to go while rushing to work at the Daily Planet as her husband rushed off to save someone or foil a crime. Slipping into a set of work clothes, she entered the kitchen to find her husband Clark Kent, a.k.a. Superman, one of the most powerful men on Earth, setting two plates of omelets and toast on the table.

"Smells delicious, Clark," said Lois as she leaned over to give him a quick kiss.

Clark returned the kiss and gave another that lasted a few moments longer before taking the seat across from her. He indicated the mini-TV on the counter that had been switched to the morning news. "No disasters, no cries for help, no JLA signal alerts. All in all, a slow morning. Not that I'm complaining. I miss cooking breakfast."

Lois headed to the coffeepot and poured two cups before taking a seat, handing one cup to Clark. "Be careful of what you say or you might jinx it."

Clark just smiled at her over his coffee. But it turned out Lois was right to warn him. Just as they were finishing up, something made Clark pause and then turn to stare at the TV. Lois, who was refilling her cup, frowned and then with sudden comprehension, went to turn it up so she could catch what was being said that would make her husband take such interest.

" – much speculation as to what this announcement will be and some rumors say that Mr. Luthor has taken on a young ward, which would be pretty amazing if its true. Mr. Luthor has been married twice before and has since been divorced twice, never producing a child in these marriages. It may be that he has decided to adopt an heir, like Gotham City millionaire Bruce Wayne did, instead of producing an heir naturally. We won't know for certain until ten a.m. But know for certain faithful viewers that my crew and I will be there to cover it all live. This is Ace Atchinson, of CDTV."

Lois nearly dropped the coffeepot. "Lex? Take on a ward? That can't be right. He hates children, especially teenagers. What possible use could he have for a child?"

Clark looked just as shocked at the idea. "I don't know. But it could be just rumors. Luthor's announcement will probably be about something totally unrelated."

"You never know. Maybe he decided he wanted to groom an heir for his evil empire," remarked Lois, a mischievous smirk flitting across her features.

"Come on Lois, be serious. Luthor –," and here Clark paused, tilting his head as if straining to hear something far off. Lois recognized the motion and the look. Someone needed Superman's help.

Quickly, Clark stood. "We'll have to finish this discussion later. I've got to get to an accident. And I think afterwards I'll check in with Oracle and see if she's heard anything about Luthor's announcement. Ask Perry to assign us to the press conference. I'll meet you there at ten."

A quick kiss on the cheek, a whirlwind of red and blue, and he was gone, having left via the window. Lois sighed, looking at the dishes on the table, then decided they could be left for later. Grabbing her purse, she was the out the door and hurrying towards the Daily Planet. 

* * *

**7:00 a.m.****: Luthor Estate in Metropolis.**

Dawn was awakened from her fitful sleep by a loud knock on her door. Moments later she heard a surly voice shout from the other side. "Are you awake?"

Feeling irritable, Dawn considered not answering but did not want the guard to barge in to wake her up in a more rough way. "I'm awake."

"Get cleaned up. And dress in one of your finer outfits. Mr. Luthor's going to be showing you off today at a press conference and he wants you to look good, as befitting someone under his care. And don't even think about stepping out of line. Or you'll regret it."

The young teenager could only stare at the door. He was taking her out in public? For what purpose? 

* * *

**8:30 a.m.****: YJ Headquarters in the ****Catskill Mountains**** of ****New York**

By unspoken agreement, the members of Young Justice did not speak 'til the last plate was emptied and washed. Then they sat down at the round table in their meeting hall and caught Lobo and Impulse up on what they had discussed earlier that morning.

"Just break into his place and rescue her. End of problem, end of story. At least then there'll be some action and less of this flapping worry," asserted Lobo, propping his feet up on the table despite Empress's glare.

"We can't just break in and rescue her without any proof that Luthor has been doing something wrong to Dawn. We'd be the ones who wound up locked in prison instead of him and that would still leave Dawn in danger. Not to mention that the JLA would come down on us like a ton of bricks," stated Wonder Girl.

"No prison could hold me," boasted Lobo, not unfoundedly.

"Yeah, well, where would that leave the rest of us? If we follow your lead, we'd all be living like fugitives," replied Empress.

"We'll never be able to find anything on Luthor. That guy is slippery than a snake. He always gets off scott clean," said Superboy dejectedly.

"What about your dreams Robin? There has to be something more to them. Something that Dawn's sister is hinting at and we're just not getting," supposed Cissie.

Propping up his elbows on the table, Robin rested his head on his hands. "I just don't know. Buffy is always so vague when she talks. She told me something terrible would happen if Dawn remained with Luthor but she won't tell what or why. She didn't even mention Luthor by name. She always referred to him as HE."

"Then how do we know she's talking about Luthor?" asked Secret.

"We'll have to assume it is Luthor. I don't know who else it could be. And she did say that HE has her and Luthor definitely has Dawn," replied Robin.

Secret opened her mouth to ask another question but then a stern voice rang out in the room, startling them all, for they recognized that voice. And it was the voice of a man who they were all slightly afraid of. Belatedly, Robin realized his com link was blinking, which meant it was on and someone, meaning Batman, had been listening.

"Robin. Report to the BatCave immediately. You have some explaining to do about holding back relevant information. Batman out."

"He was listening in? For how long? And how come you didn't notice?" exclaimed Wonder Girl.

Robin moved his arms, letting his head bang onto the table. "Long enough, I think. And I was too busy talking to you guys to notice."

"He sounded really mad," commented Impulse. "What do you think he'll do to you?"

"I'm not sure. But I better not make him wait," answered Robin as he stood. "Hopefully, I'll be back this afternoon for the meeting. If not, Wonder Girl and Superboy can run it without me."

"Come on Rob, I'll give you a ride," said Superboy as he stood as well.

"Maybe by this afternoon Oracle will have found something on Dawn," suggested Wonder Girl optimistically.

"Maybe," replied Robin as he and Superboy headed out the door. But as Superboy flew him back to Gotham City, Robin couldn't help but let his thoughts drift on the gloomy side. Superboy was right. Luthor was good at covering his tracks. How were they supposed to help Dawn if they didn't know what kind of trouble she was in? 

* * *

**8:30 a.m.****: Oracle's Clocktower in ****Gotham****City**

Barbara Gordon, a.k.a. Oracle, didn't usually have guests in her Clocktower home at this time of the morning. Unless it was seventeen-year-old Cassandra Cain, a.k.a. Batgirl, who was currently sleeping in the bedroom, worn out from last night's hard patrol. But this morning she did. Bruce Wayne, a.k.a. Batman, had come to see her after she had informed him about Robin's request and seeing the news report. To her surprise, Superman arrived not long afterwards, having seen the news report and questioning its validity.

Offering the men a seat and some tea, the latter they declined, Barbara preceded to recount the conversation she had with Robin earlier that morning and then presented them with the information she had so far, which wasn't much more than what Robin had already found.

Superman sported a severe frown upon his face, which was something you don't often see. "It's obvious there's something off about this whole situation. It feels like we're overlooking an important facet."

Bruce's face remained impassive. "It appears as though Luthor's fabricating a history for this girl as he goes along. Even if he gained possession of her by illegal means, there must be some record of her life before."

Barbara sighed. "I'll continue looking. But I got to tell you, this thing is leaving me stumped. I wish Robin had been able to get more information from the girl."

Bruce tapped his chin. "I don't think Robin told you everything he knew. I have a feeling he's holding something back." He exchanged a glance with Superman, who after a thoughtful moment, raised his eyebrow. Bruce turned back to Barbara.

"Signal Robin."

"Oo-kay." With a quick turn, Barbara rolled her wheelchair over to the computer and pressed a few keys. "He's not answering."

"Open the line."

Barbara did as he said. Immediately they could hear the members of Young Justice talking.

" – never be able to find anything on Luthor. That guy is slippery than a snake. He always gets off scott clean," came Superboy's dejected voice over the com.

Barbara was about to catch Robin's attention when Bruce made a shushing motion. Then she caught on to what the young Cissie King-Jones, formerly Arrowette, was saying. "What about your dreams Robin? There has to be something more to them. Something that Dawn's sister is hinting at and we're just not getting."

Barbara shared a confused and surprised glance with the two men near her as they continued listening in on the young superheroes' conversation.

"I just don't know," they heard Robin reply. "Buffy is always so vague when she talks. She told me something terrible would happen if Dawn remained with Luthor but she won't tell what or why. She didn't even mention Luthor by name. She always referred to him as HE."

"Then how do we know she's talking about Luthor?" asked Secret.

"We'll have to assume it is Luthor. I don't know who else it could be. And she did say that HE has her and Luthor definitely has Dawn," said Robin.

Suddenly Bruce leaned forward, taking her com link. He had heard enough. "Robin. Report to the BatCave immediately. You have some explaining to do about holding back relevant information. Batman out."

Turning it off, he returned the com link back to Barbara. She eyed the Dark Knight warily. But all he did was turn and walk out, not saying a word. 

* * *

**8:30 a.m.****: Luthor Estate in Metropolis.**

Dawn gloomily poked at the pancakes on her plate with her fork. She knew she should eat to keep up her strength but ever since Buffy's death and her subsequent dimension relocation, she hadn't had much of an appetite. She took one last bite and then set down her fork. Immediately a servant came forward to clear away the table. Stepping away from the table, two guards instantly came to her side and led her from the dining room in the direction of Luthor's office.

Lex Luthor was just finishing up a phone call when they came in and forced Dawn to take a seat in front of his desk. Placing the receiver back in its cradle, he turned his attention to her. "Because of your escapade last night, you've forced me into revealing your existence to the world at large and prove that you rightly belong to me, when in actuality you're not even truly a person. You are a tool. A powerful one, I'll grant you that. But still just an object that I won't hesitate to destroy."

Dawn clenched the arms of her chair tightly as she scrunched down, making herself as small as possible. Because that was how she felt at the moment. Small.

"Now this press conference is important so there will be no chance for any escape attempts. If you do try, the guards are instructed to cripple you. You can still attend in a wheelchair. And don't get any ideas about talking to any of the reporters. Because I always plan for everything." Opening a desk drawer, he reached in and pulled out what appeared to be a black choker necklace sporting a large opal. He handed it to the blonde statuesque woman who stood beside him.

"Now Mercy here is going to put this necklace on you. But don't think it's an ordinary gift. Hidden in the opal is an ingenious little device that will effectively render you speechless, unable to make a squeak, let alone talk a bunch of reporters into believing you are in trouble."

As he spoke, Mercy stepped towards Dawn, while the two guards immediately grabbed her arms to hold her down. She struggled against them, a small shriek escaping her lips. She kicked her legs but another guard came forward to grab those. Roughly, Mercy took a hold of her hair to keep her still as she forced the choker around her neck. There was a click as the clasp closed and Dawn shrieked again, only to be suddenly silenced mid-shriek.

"Much better," said Luthor as Mercy and the guards stepped away. Dawn rose her hands to the necklace, feeling for a way to take it off but the clasp was too tough for someone of her strength. She had build up hope only to have it crushed once again. 

* * *

**9:00 a.m.****: BatCave under Wayne Manor in ****Gotham****City**

Superboy dropped Robin off at the city limits, where they had met the night before. He drove his Redbird the rest of the way into the city, taking hidden routes until he reached the secret entrance of the cave. Alfred was there to greet him as he parked the car.

"Has he said anything?"

Alfred shook his head. "Superman is here as well but he hasn't said much either. Why do I get the feeling you kept something from him? Something to do with your disturbed sleep?"

Robin almost smiled. Not much escaped Alfred's notice. "Let's just say I knew more about Luthor's ward than I let on. Like knowing her name and face before actually seeing her in person."

Alfred raised an eyebrow but chose only to turn around and lead the way deeper into the BatCave. He left him at the steps to the computer platform, leaving for the elevator to return to Wayne Manor aboveground. Squaring his shoulders, Robin climbed the stairs to find Batman seated at the computer, facing away from him, while Superman stood off to the side. He nodded a greeting at him, which relaxed Robin somewhat. Meant he wasn't really angry.

Batman continued to stoically study the large computer screen before him, which displayed several files on Lex Luthor and Dawn. It was several moments before he spoke.

"You held back relevant information, impeding the investigation into Luthor's ward."

Robin kept his head up. "Yes."

"Explain."

What explanation could he give? "I did not wish to reveal something I didn't completely understand myself." Pause. "I was afraid the dreams may be a sign of insanity."

Batman swiveled his chair around at that remark, giving his young protégé a hard glare. "I seriously doubt that your dreams, which have revealed to have some elements of truth, could be thought as signs of mental instability."

That statement was the closest you could get to words of comfort from Batman. Superman smirked and Robin relaxed his stance. Batman, being the person he was, noticed all this and just harrumphed.

"Now, describe these dreams."

Robin launched a full detail. How they began four nights ago. How it always took place at a cozy suburban house. How, on the first two nights, he only spoke to Buffy on the front steps. How a young girl watched from an upstairs window while they talked. How Buffy knew his name and who he was and what he did at night. How she asked about his adventures and friends and family and hinted at something coming. Something not of this world. How on the night before last, it had been revealed that the girl was Dawn and she was in trouble. He told of the portal and the creatures, of how Buffy claimed she herself was dead and unable to help her sister. He repeated Buffy's warnings word for word and admitted to agreeing to protect her sister. Both Superman and Batman listened intently, not interrupting, until he was finished.

Superman glanced at Batman. "What do you think? Are the dreams for real or is this an elaborate trap?"

Batman steepled his hands under his chin as he thought. "We cannot be sure of who or what Buffy is or what her intentions are. We must find that out. I want you to report here tonight as usual Robin. And be prepared to take a long nap. I will ask J'onn to be here and use his telepathy to monitor your dreams. I think we should meet Buffy ourselves. I will have Nightwing take care of the patrol tonight, with Batgirl to assist him."

Superman nodded, agreeing to the plan. "I'll be there." Pause. Glance at the clock. "But for now, I have a press conference to get to." With a whoosh, he was gone in a whirl of blue and red.

Robin almost protested the plan but thought better of it. It wasn't like they were planning to invade his private thoughts. They only wanted to take a look at his dreams. Then he realized the wording of that last thought and almost laughed. 

* * *

**Author**Sorry to end abruptly but I promise, a lot will be happening in the next chapter. There'll be Luthor's press conference and you'll get to meet the Martian Manhunter from the JLA and get a glimpse of Luthor's plans for Dawn. Plus, will Batman and Superman actually get to meet Buffy? Read to find out!

**P.S.** Please visit my site and let me know what you think it. It's got fanart and links and character profiles and a quiz! Check out the polls and guestbook!


	6. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:** You guys probably thought I had died or fallen into a coma! I have no excuse, except for this: Life is always getting in the way. Enjoy thses two new chapters. Later!

**P.S.** To abide by the rules of I have removed all song lyrics from my story. If you want to read this story with lyrics included, you visit my website, which linked on my profile.

* * *

Chapter 4

**10:00 a.m.: LexCorp in Metropolis.**

As the hour approached, more and more reporters began to gather in front of the L-shaped building of LexCorp, as well as curious spectators. Several news cameras were set up, including the prominent Ace Atchinson of CDTV. Lois was seated near the front, where a platform and podium had been set up. She was just beginning to worry when suddenly her husband appeared to take the seat next to her.

"Cutting a bit close aren't we?" she whispered, just as Luthor's press secretary took the stage. Clark just smirked at her and took out a notepad and pen.

"Did you learn anything?"

"The rumors were true." Before Lois could respond to this surprising statement, Clark indicated she be quiet as the man began to speak. She glared, before taking out her own pad and pen to take notes.

"I know this last minute press conference comes as a surprise to everyone. But Mr. Luthor felt he should make this announcement before any unpleasant rumors began going around."

Lois snorted. "Too late for that."

"And so without further ado, I give you Lex Luthor." The crowd clapped as Lex Luthor's tall form appeared from the building, with his ever-present blonde bodyguard Mercy. Behind them came four more statuesque bodyguards. And to the surprise of most of the people there, walking with the bodyguards was a young teen, her head bowed down, with her long brown hair obscuring the view of her face. She wore a sober black dress with stockings and velvet mary-janes. They all walked onto the platform, with Luthor taking the podium and the girl taking the seat off to the side. The crowd was rift with whispers, speculating as to her identity.

Luthor cleared his throat and as the whispers died down, he began to speak. "I called this conference to put to rest any vicious rumors about this young girl you now see before you. Her name is Dawn Summers. And she is my ward." Pause as the crowd became noisy again at this statement. "For the past few days I have been helping her settle in at my home, for last week, her parents, who happened to be old close friends of mine, died in a car accident. And with no other family to take her in, I elected myself to become her guardian." Turning his head slightly, he raised his hand to Dawn. "Stand my dear and let them see you. You are a part of the Luthor family now and that means spending a lot of time in the public eye. The reporters can't seem to get enough of me, can they, ladies, gentlemen?"

There was slight chuckle from the crowd at that remark. Lois gritted her teeth from saying anything she might regret and knew from her husband's stiff body that he was doing the same. A moment later, the slight figure on the stage rose and lifted her face for all to see. Her blue eyes had bags under them and her face was pale, accented by the black she wore. Around her neck was a black choker sporting a large opal. Looking at the girl's blank expression and grave eyes, Lois felt a pang of sympathy and then anger as the cameras began to flash. She knew their co-worker, Jimmy Olsen, was probably among them.

Clark's eyes narrowed as he studied the girl. He tilted his glasses to check a suspicion. "It's a fake."

"What?" How many times was she going to get surprised today?

Clark leaned in to whisper in her ear. "The opal around her neck is a fake. There's a mechanical device hidden inside it."

Now this was a curious bit of news. "Do you know what the device is for?"

"I'll have to check with Bruce but I think it's to keep her from speaking."

Now why would Luthor need to keep her silent? Unless it was to keep her from talking to any reporters. She looked up to see Luthor place a hand on Dawn's shoulder. It was meant to appear comforting but Clark's sharp eyes spotted the way Dawn stiffened under his touch.

"I know I can never replace Dawn's parents. But I plan on being the best father I can to her in their absence."

It was as if that remark was the last straw. Dawn wrenched herself violently out of Luthor's grasp and with an audible sob, ran off the platform and into the building. The bodyguards stampeded after her, leaving Luthor and Mercy on their own. The crowd grew silent, unsure what to make of the incident. Clark tensed, as if he wanted to go after them, but Lois placed a hand on his arm. "This is not the time Clark. If she is in trouble, we'll find out and put a stop to it. But right now, we have no proof." Clark knew she was right. He sighed but stayed noticeably tense, so Lois didn't remove her hand. 

Luthor's face remained carefully blank as he addressed the crowd. "As you can see, Dawn has not completely gotten over her loss yet. So you'll understand if I ask you to excuse my leaving so abruptly." And with that, Luthor left, following the path the bodyguards and his runaway ward had taken.

The second the doors closed behind Luthor, the crowd began to disperse, as though a spell had been broken. Lois and Clark stood almost simultaneously and began to hustle away from the LexCorp building in the direction of Lois's car. "Does this situation smell fishy to you? Or am I just paranoid when it comes to anything involving Luthor?"

"You're not alone in that suspicion, Lois. Oracle doesn't believe he acquired custody of Dawn legally. Add to that the fact that Robin ran into her last night while she was trying to run away but Luthor's goon squad caught up with her and dragged her back."

Lois sighed as she reached her car and began digging out her keys. "She just looked so crushed, you know? Like her whole world had been taken away from her."

"Hey." Clark reached out to his wife, pulling her into his arms. "We'll find that proof. It's what we do best. We are reporters after all. And who knows? Maybe we'll finally be able to put Luthor behind bars."

Lois lingered in her husband's arms before pulling away to unlock the car. "Don't mind me. I'm just being silly."

Clark smirked. "Maybe you're finally developing a maternal instinct."

"Ha-ha. Very funny, Clark."

* * *

**3:00 p.m.: YJ Headquarters in the Catskill Mountains of New York.**

Wonder Girl was just resigning herself to have to be the one to call her crazy bunch of friends to order for their weekly meeting when Robin showed in the nick of time at three on the dot. His appearance instantly halted all activity. Superboy and Impulse put down the ping pong paddles, Lobo dropped the weights he was lifting, Empress switched off the TV, and Secret floated over from where she had been refereeing the ping pong match. Cissie had left after lunch. Traya could only cover for her for so long. Wonder Girl had promised to update her on the situation though.

"Hey Rob! So the Bat didn't pluck your wings after all," said Superboy.

Robin sat down at the YJ meeting table, the others trickling over to join him. "Doesn't mean that I'm completely off the hook. I foresee some grueling training sessions in my near future."

"So where have you been?" asked Secret.

"I stopped off at home to clean up and to convince my dad I hadn't run off." Robin's father didn't know about his other identity and more than once he discovered him missing and threatened to send him off to some disciplinary school for delinquents. It was all he could do to convince his dad that he wasn't involved in anything illegal, unless you count being a vigilante crime fighter. He was the only one of the group whose guardian didn't know about his 'extracurricular activities'. He kept it secret not only to protect Batman's identity but also not to worry his dad.

"Enough about me. Did you guys learn anything new about Dawn?"

Wonder Girl pulled out some papers and slid them across the table to Robin. "Not much. I checked in with Oracle. Some new files cropped up. Supposedly her father was an accountant in one of Luthor's companies in Los Angeles and her mother was unemployed, a housewife. Dawn herself was supposedly a home-schooled student, with a straight-A report card. Oracle is pretty sure now that Luthor is fabricating Dawn's history, creating a paper trail to cover the fact that, there never was one in the first place."

"So what? She just appeared out of thin air?" asked Superboy.

"She could have come from a third world country. Their governments aren't that great at keepin' track, especially those where a lot of fightin' is goin' on," suggested Empress.

"I doubt it," replied Robin. "She spoke perfect English and didn't have an accent."

"She's probably from another planet," commented Lobo as he flexed his left arm.

All the members of Young Justice turned to stare at Lobo. Robin blinked, breaking the stare. "What?"

Lobo relaxed his arm and looked up. "Think about it. Luthor wanted to keep her secret but we ruined that. And as you all pointed out, he obviously plans on using her for something. That Buffy chick claimed she's special and not of this world. So I say, alien. Probably has some power that he plans to exploit."

"It makes sense," remarked Wonder Girl slowly. Impulse opened his mouth, looking as if he wanted to disagree but then closed it again. Only Robin noticed.

"I'm surprised we didn't think of it sooner. It's not like we haven't encountered aliens before. I'm half-Kryptonian," added Superboy, referring to the fact that he was a clone of Superman and that several members of the superhero community were in fact aliens.

Robin had to agree that it was the most likely explanation. But something inside him was telling him that Lobo was wrong. Dawn was human. And there was more to it then just her having some special ability. But Robin decided not to say anything. It was only a feeling. He sat back and listened as the others speculated as to what ability she might have that Luthor would want so badly. Impulse stayed strangely silent, remaining neutral in the discussion.

* * *

**3:00 p.m.: Luthor Estate in Metropolis.**

Luthor stood in his office, hands clasped behind his back as he gazed out the window. Oh how he hated dealing with magic. He preferred science and technology. But he would ignore that feeling to get the job done. 

"Is everything ready?"

The question was put to the tanned man wearing gray robes with long greasy dark hair and a pockmarked face standing in the middle of his office. He was a mystic from Egypt with a dark and powerful reputation, which was why Luthor had hired him. The mystic had been recommended by Luthor's lawyer, who had once been employed by Wolfram & Hart.

"Yes."

Luthor turned around, his face set in hard lines. "Then what is the problem?"

"I cannot begin the ritual until after sunset. Or there will be consequences."

Luthor sighed, irritated. "Very well. I will bring the girl at five. You are dismissed."

The mystic bowed his head, then disappeared in a puff of smoke.

* * *

**4:00 p.m.: JLA Watchtower on the Moon.**

It was that time again. The last Saturday of the month. Official JLA meeting in the Watchtower. All active members had to attend, no exceptions, unless you were handling an emergency or horribly injured. Flash was already there, being on monitor duty. The Martian Manhunter and Wonder Woman arrived early, with Green Lantern and Aquaman showing not long afterward. Plastic Man showed at the last second, just before the clock hit four. They gathered in the Hall of Justice, taking a seat in their own personalized chairs around the Round Table. The hologram face of Oracle appeared above the table, letting them know she was present and would listen in on the meeting as usual. 

Plastic Man shaped his head into a telescope as he glanced around. "Where's the Supes and the Bats? Can't conduct the business of world saving without them."

"Most likely got delayed. They'll be here," replied Wonder Woman assuredly.

Green Lantern glanced up, eyes troubled. "Did you guys catch Luthor's press conference this morning? Because I got to tell you, what I saw really bothered me."

Plastic Man bounced in his seat as a replica of planet Earth. "Who wouldn't be freaked at the prospect of Lex Luthor's evil plans for world domination carrying on into the next generation?"

Aquaman glared at Plastic Man, who immediately ceased bouncing. "What are you talking about? What has Luthor done now?"

"You haven't heard?" asked Green Lantern.

"No televisions underwater, remember? But lucky for Arthur, I happened to record the conference while I was on duty so I could look at it again later," announced Flash as he zipped over to a monitor. Within moments Luthor's press conference replayed on the screen as the members of the JLA watched. Superman and Batman walked in unnoticed towards the end, as Dawn Summers ran off the platform and the bodyguards chased after.

"As you can see, Dawn has not completely gotten over her loss yet. So you'll understand if I ask you to excuse my leaving so abruptly." And with that, Luthor left, following the path the bodyguards and his runaway ward had taken. At that moment, Batman fluidly stepped in and turned off the monitor, nearly giving Flash, Green Lantern, and Plastic Man a heart attack.

Wonder Woman and Aquaman schooled down their surprise. Batman always sneaked around. Aquaman harrumphed as Batman and Superman took their seats. "Lex Luthor taking on a ward is hardly a sign of a coming disaster."

Green Lantern gave him a look. "But, it's _**Luthor**_."

"You do have to admit, it seems odd," remarked Wonder Woman.

"However odd, Lex Luthor's ward is not the topic for today's meeting," said Batman icily. It was clear the discussion was over.

Superman cleared his throat. "Let's get started on what are today's topics."

Without waiting for a response, Superman began conducting the meeting, as was his duty as chairman. They got through the agenda without much commentary. It was the usual topics: upcoming meetings with heads of state, updates from the UN, charity functions, press relations, monitor duty schedule for the next month, etc.

Nearly an hour later, Superman set down his papers and glanced around the table. "Is there anything else someone would like to address?"

"Yeah," spoke up Flash. "Are we going to ignore this thing with Luthor? Shouldn't we check it out, just in case?"

"You know as well as everyone else here that Lex Luthor is well within his rights in taking on a ward. A change in his personal life hardly requires the full deploy of the JLA," replied the Martian Manhunter calmly.

"But –"

Superman sighed, cutting Flash off. "If you must know, Batman and I are investigating the matter."

Wonder Woman leaned forward, surprised. "Have you found anything?"

Batman gave Superman a blatant look that clearly said that their fellow Leaguers did not need to know about their investigation. "Other then the fact that Luthor might have obtained custody of the girl illegally, we found nothing."

Superman once again glanced around the table. "Are you all satisfied now?"

Flashed glanced at Green Lantern, who shrugged. He looked back at Superman and nodded.

"Then this meeting is adjourned."

With that, the members of the JLA began to disperse. Green Lantern headed to the Monitor Womb to begin his shift of monitor duty while Aquaman went to check on his water tanks and hydroponics. Wonder Woman, Flash, and Plastic Man headed to the transporter room to return to Earth. The Martian Manhunter stood, about to head to his quarters.

"Wait, J'onn." The Manhunter turned around, raising an eye ridge at Batman. "I wanted to ask a favor."

* * *

**6:00 p.m.: LexCorp in Metropolis.**

Dawn whimpered in fear as she struggled against the heavy manacles and chains that held her limbs and kept her in place, kneeling on the cold linoleum of one the many hidden labs within LexCorp. Once again the ground surrounding her had been painted with runes. Fortunately, this time the symbols weren't in blood. But it wasn't much of a consolation. Her forehead itched from the oil and herbs that had been anointed there and the manacles were starting to cut into her skin.

Dawn paused in her struggles when she heard the mystic begin to chant in what she recognized as Latin. Her terror was greatly increased by the fact she had no idea what Luthor or his pet mystic were planning. As the chanting continued, the runes on the ground began to alight with a red glow, one by one. Beginning to panic, Dawn renewed her efforts to free herself. Just as the last rune lighted, Dawn felt an outside force freeze her body in place. Pain raced through her nerve endings and she threw her head back to scream.

Green light streamed from Dawn's eyes and mouth, until the entire room was saturated with it. The mystic abruptly stopped his chanting and moments later, the glow from the runes ended. The green light gradually faded, along with Dawn's screams. She collapsed, as though she were a puppet whose strings had been cut.

The mystic turned as the door behind him opened and Luthor, accompanied by Mercy, entered. "It is finished, Mr. Luthor."

"What, exactly, is finished, Rutan?"

"In the past, the Key's power could only be accessed at certain times and intervals every few centuries. But thanks to the spell I just performed, the Key has been brought to the forefront of this vessel. Its power now simmers just beneath the service of this girl, instead of lying dormant."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning we can now access the power of the Key at any time we choose."

"How soon can the ritual be ready?"

"Wednesday." Rutan closed the book he had been reading from.

"Good. I want it done as soon as possible. Before Superman and his cohorts catch wind of what we're up to." Luthor made a gesture to Mercy, who bent down to unchain Dawn and then lifted the unconscious girl into her arms.

"There is no need to worry. By the time the League suspect something is wrong, it'll all be over." Rutan once again disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

* * *

**10:00 p.m.: BatCave under Wayne Manor in Gotham City.**

Robin tried to relax as he sat down upon the infirmary bed within the inner recesses of the BatCave. He wasn't going to be falling asleep anytime soon if he stayed tense. He nearly fell off when a large gloved hand fell onto his shoulder. As it was, a loud squeak escaped from his lips.

It was Nightwing, suited up for patrol. "Alright there, bro?"

"Yeah. Just can't help feeling like that my privacy is about to be violated."

Nightwing's eyes met Robin's. "You know Bruce better than that. And J'onn is always honorable when it comes to people's thoughts."

Before Robin could reply, the two are interrupted by the approach of Batman. "Nightwing. You should be heading out."

"I'm going." Nightwing gave Robin's shoulder a comforting pat before walking away. "Good luck."

Batman stopped at the medical tray near Robin's bed, running a gloved hand over the medications that had been placed there. "Do you wish to be given a sedative?"

Robin sighed. "Probably should do that. As long as it's only a mild one, so I won't be too groggy in the morning."

Batman nodded, and then went about preparing the dose. The Martian Manhunter arrived just as Robin was being injected. Robin gave a small smile in greeting as Batman set aside the needle. "The sedative will start working in a few moments. I'll be at the computer reviewing case files. Superman had an emergency to attend to but I expect him to be here shortly."

J'onn floated to the foot of the bed, moving into a meditative position. "I shall notify you if I detect anything."

Batman nodded at his fellow Leaguer and then quickly exited. Robin, feeling drowsiness overtaking him, lied down, trying to find a comfortable position on the hard cot. _Will Buffy visit me tonight or will someone else being here keep her away? _

* * *

**10:00 p.m.: Luthor Estate in Metropolis.**

Dawn turned restlessly in her bed, feeling exhausted, yet finding sleep to be elusive. Her wrists and ankles ached from being chained earlier, although they had been treated while she was unconscious. Most of the sleep she had gotten lately was plagued with nightmares anyway. Memories of Sunnydale and of what Buffy's so-called friends had done haunted her. _Is it my fate to be used over and over by one Big Bad after another? _Tears leaked out of Dawn's eyes as she struggled not to cry again. _I should have died. Not Buffy. _

* * *

**11:00 p.m.: BatCave under Wayne Manor in Gotham City.**

Superman flew through the underground complex and landed at Batman's side before the supercomputer that took up a section of the cave. "I miss anything?"

"No. Robin's sleep remains undisturbed and Nightwing and Batgirl's patrol has so far consisted of muggers and burglars."

"Well, that's good, I suppose. I –"

"Batman, Superman," called the voice of the Martian Manhunter. "An outside presence has entered Robin's mind."

The two heroes hastened to the infirmary, where they immediately noticed the rapid movement of Robin's eyes beneath his eyelids. J'onn stood by the head of the bed, his hand hovering over Robin's forehead. "The presence has induced dreaming within his mind. I am unable to sense anything about this entity, whether it is male or female, human or alien."

"It must be powerful to elude you, J'onn," remarked Superman. 

"Why did it wait until now to contact Robin? It's as if it was waiting for you to arrive, Clark," Batman voiced. All three men exchanged grave glances.

"Shall we confront this entity?" questioned the Manhunter.

After another exchange of looks, Superman answered. "Take us into his mind, J'onn."

As J'onn placed his fingers on Robin's temple, the reality of the cave faded around them only to be replaced by that of the dream world . . . 

_. . . Standing on the front lawn of a suburban house, Superman and Batman were surprised to discover their costumes had disappeared and that they were dressed in civilian clothing. They turned to the Martian Manhunter, whose humanlike physique had faded away to his true alien appearance. He answered their question before it could be voiced. "The altering of our appearances was not done by me."_

_Tim suddenly appeared before them, similarly dressed. "That's Buffy's doing. When I first met her, she asked me what's the point of masks when you're speaking mind to mind?"_

_J'onn raised an eye ridge. "I see."_

"_So where is she?" asked Clark._

"_You looking for me?"_

_The group turned in unison to find themselves presented with the young blonde woman Tim knew as Buffy._

"_Hi. I've been expecting you."_


	7. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

**11:05 p.m.: BatCave under Wayne Manor in Gotham** **City.**

Deep within the bowels of the large underground complex beneath Wayne Manor, Robin lay on an infirmary bed, deep asleep, his mind engaged in a dream. Standing over him, eyes closed, unaware of the reality around them, were Batman, Superman, and the Martian Manhunter. Their minds were only aware of the reality within Robin's dream . . .

_. . . "Hi. I've been expecting you." Buffy paused, and then shrugged. "Actually, I was expecting you to show up sooner. But it's not like we had a set appointment."_

_Tim just stared while Clark, Bruce, and J'onn exchanged looks, then returned their gaze to the enigmatic woman before them. "Who are you? What do you want with us?" demanded Bruce._

"_I told Tim this already. I need your help. Dawn needs your help. And if you don't stop HIM, your world will end."_

"_We would like to help but we need more information. For instance: Is Luthor the one you're referring to? What are his plans? And how does your sister factor into all this?" questioned Clark._

_Buffy sighed. "I'd love to give you all the answers but there are rules I must follow. All I can do is give you some hints to point you in the right direction."_

"_Whose rules?" asked J'onn._

"_The rules of the Powers that govern your dimension."_

"_What?" blurted out Clark._

_Bruce's eyes narrowed. "You say our world is in trouble. If there are some sort of higher beings watching over us, then why don't they intervene?"_

_Buffy frowned. "You know better. It's all about free will, remember? It's up to a world's residents to look after themselves and others."_

"_Then how come you're here, warning us?"_

_Before Buffy could reply, Tim interjected with a thought that had seized his brain. "You stated 'your dimension.' You're from another dimension, aren't you? An alternate Earth."_

"_Now you're catching on." Buffy abruptly looked away, seemingly gazing into the distance, though there was nothing to see. "Dawn is having a nightmare."_

_Their surroundings suddenly began to shift and blur. The Martian frowned heavily. Clark_ _quickly took note of it. "J'onn? What is it?"_

"_We are not in Tim's mind any longer. We are in another's."_

"_We're not in my mind? Then in whose mind are we?" exclaimed Tim anxiously._

"_We're in Dawn's mind," stated Bruce with certainty. _

"_Yes. I thought you might be interested in what her nightmares consist of," explained Buffy. She smirked. "I can't go against the rules. But I can let you into Dawn's mind. And if you incidentally see something that answers some of your questions, it's not my fault. That's something beyond mine, and __**their**__ control."_

_The surroundings around the group suddenly stabilized and they found themselves standing in the living room of a house. Before them, Dawn sat upon a couch, cuddled into the side of a young man whose hair was bleached blonde. She was blowing her noise and wiping her eyes. It was obvious that Dawn had just finished a bout of intense crying._

"_I was one who was supposed to die, Spike. Not Buffy."_

"_You shouldn't think like that, niblet." The man, apparently called Spike, spoke with a British accent. He reached up a pale hand to stroke the teenager's cheek. "Your sister wanted you to live. She loved you. Threatened to kill us if any of us dared to try to harm you."_

_Dawn sniffled. "Really?"_

"_Really."_

_Dawn began to fiddle with the edges of Spike's duster. "I've got no one. Buffy's dead, Mom is dead, Dad abandoned us, Giles returned to England, Riley left, Angel left. Everyone is always leaving. What's to keep you or Willow_ _or Xander or the others from leaving too?"_

_Spike placed a finger under Dawn's chin, lifting her face so he could look into her eyes. "Don't know about the others but I'm not leaving, pet. I promised the slayer I'd protect you, 'til the end of the world."_

_Dawn threw her arms around Spike's waist. "Thanks."_

_Spike stayed silent, simply hugging her back. The moment was interrupted by the sound of the front door opening and then closing. There was the sound of several moving feet in the foyer and then two people entered the living room, a young woman and a young man, a red head and a brunette, respectively. Waiting beyond in the hallway was another brunette woman and two large men._

_Spike swiftly rose to his feet while Dawn remained seated. "What's all this then?"_

_It was the red head who spoke. "Xander and I have discussed it and we've decided that Dawn has to go."_

_Dawn sat up, her posture stiff. "What do you mean go? Go where?"_

_The red head gestured behind her. "This is Lilah Morgan. She's a lawyer at Wolfram & Hart. We're giving you to them."_

_Dawn immediately stood, moving closer to Spike. "But Willow! That's the evil law firm Angel told us about! Why would you give me to them?"_

_The man, Xander, broke his silence. "It's your fault Buffy's dead! It should have been you that jumped, not her! You don't deserve to live! You're not even –"_

_Willow_ _calmly interrupted his rant. "Ms. Morgan came to us with an offer and we decided to take it." She glared fiercely at the younger girl. "You deserve whatever they have planned for you."_

_Spike growled. "I don't see Glinda or demon girl anywhere. They don't know anything about this, do they, witch?"_

"_There's no need for Tara or Anya to know anything. We'll just tell them that your Dad came and got you."_

_Dawn shook her head in denial. "You can't do this! You won't get away with it!"_

_Spike strode forward, his body radiating rage as his face morphed into his demon visage. "You're not taking her anywhere!"_

_Just as Spike drew near Xander moved his hand from behind his back, revealing a wooden stake within his grasp. His grin was positively evil. "So long Fangless!"_

_Before Spike could react, he was stabbed in the chest. He gave Dawn a last glance full of regret before his body burst into dust. Dawn screamed in grief and rage, and then charged. "You killed him! How could you!"_

_The two men at Lilah's side quickly moved forward. They grabbed a hold of Dawn's arms just as she kicked Xander between the legs. He dropped to the ground, groaning. Willow rushed to his side, glancing up as she soothingly rubbed Xander's back. "Get her out of here!"_

_The two thugs hurriedly left the house, dragging Dawn kicking and screaming between them. Lilah quietly followed. As Dawn was being shoved into a car, the scene once again began to blur and shift. Tim, Clark, Bruce, and J'onn stood there while Buffy observed, trying to absorb what they had seen._

_Tim asked the first question. "Spike was a vampire, wasn't he?"_

_Buffy nodded. Bruce spoke next. "He referred to you as the slayer."_

_Buffy gave a little smile. "That's who I was. The Slayer. I was a hero, like you. Even saved the world a few times. You wanted to know how I can be here, warning you? To reward my good deeds, the Powers granted me this boon, to give me a chance to save my sister's life."_

_Before anymore could be said, the view stabilized and the group took in their surroundings. They were standing on what appeared to be a rooftop. Before them, three tall pale creatures in black robes and hoods stood chanting around a pentagram drawn in blood on the cement. In the center of the pentagram, banging her fists against the magical shield that kept her in place, was Dawn. Tim realized he had seen this scene before in a previous dream._

"_You can't do this to me! I'm not a possession you can sell! I'm a person!" yelled Dawn in a panic._

_The girl was yelling at Lilah Morgan, who was standing nearby. The woman gave the teenager a condescending smile. "You don't understand. We've already done it. All that's left to do is to deliver the goods to the buyer. Which is not as simple as it may seem since he lives in another dimension."_

_The robed creatures' chanting sped up, reaching a crescendo. Magic crackled like lightning all Dawn. A bright light, shimmering in a multitude of colors, began forming in the center with her. She began to scream._

"_No! You can't do this! Please! NOOO!"_

_There was a large flash of brightness, forcing the men to close their eyes. When they could see again, they realized the scenery had changed again. They were still on a rooftop, albeit on a different building. It was Clark who noticed him first. "Luthor."_

_It was Lex Luthor. He regally closed the cell phone in his hand and passed it to his statuesque blonde assistant, Mercy. Stepping forward, he studied Dawn, who was kneeling in bewilderment in the center of a pentagram identical to the one she left. She looked up, a slight daze in her eyes, after effects of the trans-dimensional spell._

"_So. You're the innocent little girl with the power to destroy the universe," remarked Luthor. "Appearances can truly be deceiving."_

_Abruptly the surroundings changed again and the group found themselves back at the house from the beginning of the dream. J'onn briefly closed his eyes in concentration. "We are back in Tim's mind."_

"_Dawn's nightmare didn't appear to be over. Why did you bring us back?" asked Clark._

"_If we'd stayed any longer, she would have realized we were there. I'm only allowed to visit her face to face once. And I don't want to use that visit yet, not until I know she's going to survive what's coming. I'd be seeing her again anyway if she dies."_

_Bruce turned his full Bat-glare onto the young woman. "Luthor said Dawn has the power to destroy the universe. What power does she exactly have? And how is Luthor going to use it? Why hasn't Dawn used it to save herself?"_

_The glare had no effect on Buffy. "All I can tell you is that the power was hidden in Dawn for safekeeping. It is an ancient energy with the ability to create and destroy. The power can only be accessed in certain ways at certain times. And very few have that knowledge. Even fewer would be foolish to mess with it."_

""_Luthor is not the one we should be wary of, is he?" queried J'onn._

"_I knew you guys would figure it out," Buffy praised. "Luthor only thinks that he has control of my sister. He has no idea who and what he's dealing with."_

"_Is there anymore that you can tell us?" Clark_ _inquired._

_Buffy paced for a moment, exuding nervous energy, then stepped closer. "There's not much more_ **I** _can say. But you happen to have several colleagues who are magic users. Shouldn't you take advantage of their knowledge and experience?"_

_J'onn raised an eye ridge. "Is there a particular question we should ask them?"_

"_Just mention the Key. They either know or they don't." Buffy turned her head, looking at each man facing her in turn, before stopping at Tim. "You know, there is a person here who is from the far flung future and yet none of you have taken advantage of the knowledge he might have of the present."_

_Tim frowned. "Are you referring to Bart?"_

_Clark_'_s brow furrowed. "By the time of the 30__th__ century, the history of our present has been reduced to not much more then legends and myths."_

_Buffy raised a finger. "But all myths have some basis on actual truth. You just have to reason fact from fiction." She paused, stepping back. "My time's almost up."_

_Bruce stepped forward. "One last question: Why did you choose to visit Tim? Why not someone older or more powerful?"_

_Buffy smirked, then stepped over to Tim, bringing her face close to his. "You were chosen Tim. I asked and you agreed to be my sister's protector. Are you still willing to fulfill your role?"_

_Tim gulped. The look in Buffy's eyes was intense. "Yes."_

_A sad smile crossed Buffy's face. "Dawn feels guilty but she shouldn't. I willingly gave my life for hers. My blood for her blood. Like a friend said, it's always all about the blood. __Remember what I have told you. Time to awake."_

Robin's eyes shot open and he gasped. Startled to discover himself so abruptly conscious, he raised up on his elbows. Gazing wildly around, he found Batman, Superman, and the Martian Manhunter standing over him, also in various states of surprise. A glance at the clock revealed that it was just after midnight.

* * *

**12:00 a.m.: YJ Headquarters in the Catskill Mountains of New York.**

The super-cycle was an unusual creation. It could always sense when its owner or someone connected to its owner needed its particular brand of help. And it was sensing that need now. Feeling a sense of urgency, it phased through the garage walls at YJ headquarters and took to the sky, high-tailing to Metropolis.

* * *

**12:30 a.m.: Luthor Estate in Metropolis.**

Dawn jumped awake, panting in fading terror. Her nightmares had been unusually intense that night. If she didn't know better, she could have sworn someone else had been with her. The sound of a running engine interrupted her thoughts. Pushing back her covers, she went to the window. Gazing outside, she spotted what she had heard. _A flying motorcycle? What kind of world is this? _Eyes widening, she realized it was heading straight for her. Fear returning, she quickly backed up to the opposite wall and raised her arms to cover her face. Several moments passed but there was no crash. Cautiously, Dawn peaked between her arms. The cycle was sitting calmly in her room, with no signs of any destruction, or a driver, in sight.

"How in the hell did you do that?"

The cycle revved its motor, wiggling its handle bars. Dawn blinked and then rubbed her eyes. But still, no driver appeared. "You . . . Are you alive?"

Again the machine revved its motor. Dawn hesitatingly stepped towards it. "What do you want from me?"

It inched forward, bumping her legs. Dawn walked around to its side. "Do you want me get on?"

The cycle tilted slightly on its wheels, again bumping Dawn. Giving a shrug, Dawn decided. _What the hell. Anything that will get me out of here. _She clambered into the front seat below the handle bars. "Now what?"

Starting its engines, the cycle turned around and then before Dawn could even shriek it went right through the wall, taking her with it. She patted down her body, making sure everything was still in place. The super-cycle picked up speed, flying through the night sky. Shivering as a cold wind whipped threw her blue cotton pajamas, Dawn carefully peered over the side at the bright lights of the city far below. "Where are you taking me!"

* * *

**1:00 a.m.: Drake Residence in Gotham City.**

Robin stealthily entered his home and quietly headed towards his room. After going over everything that Buffy had shown and told them, Batman, Superman, and the Martian Manhunter had agreed there was nothing more that they could do that night. It was also agreed upon that in the morning the three would meet again and contact their mystic allies in an attempt to confirm Buffy's intel and therefore determine whether or not she was friend or foe and how best to help Dawn. While they were doing that, Robin planned on returning to the headquarters of Young Justice and questioning Bart on what he knew, if he knew anything.

Robin paused in mid-step on the stairs when he suddenly heard a noise from outside. _Is it a burglar? Or is it Nightwing coming to check up on me?_ He hurriedly left the house the way he came. Heading around to the front, he heard what sounded like an engine and a girl's voice in the driveway. Peaking around the side of the garage, Robin received one of the biggest surprises of his life. The super-cycle was parked in the driveway, with Dawn occupying the front seat!

Dawn rose up on her knees in the seat, cautiously curious. "Why have you brought me here? Where is here, anyway?"

Robin stepped onto the driveway, guardedly approaching the super-cycle. "Here is my home. And that is my super-cycle."

Dawn let out a startled squeak, falling back into her seat. There was a long moment of silence. It was broken by Dawn nervously clearing her throat as she sat up. "So. Did you order this thing to bring me to you?"

Robin stepped closer, keeping his stance non-threatening. "No. The super-cycle has a mind of its own and tends to do what it wants in its free time."

Robin stopped moving when he was just a few inches away from the cycle. Dawn could see him clearly now and with that view, came the discernment of familiarity. "Do I know you?"

Without stopping to think about it, Robin removed his mask. "We met at the concert. My name is Tim."

Dawn leaned forward and there was a slight tremble in her voice as she spoke. "You . . . You're the one. You said Buffy was visiting you in your dreams." She narrowed her eyes. "Why should I trust you? How do I know that you're not just as evil as Luthor is?"

Tim raised his hands complacently. "You don't. But what other choice do you have? You need help."

Dawn seemed to deflate at that. Tim lowered his hands. "You should know that Buffy told me about you, how you're from another dimension, and that there's an ancient power hidden inside you. She asked me protect you. She said the world will end if you remain in Luthor's clutches."

Dawn's eyes misted over. "You should just kill me. My existence brings nothing but trouble. People who try to protect me just wind up dead. I don't deserve to live."

"No!" Tim hurriedly reached out and grabbed Dawn's hand, holding it tightly within his own gloved one. "None of this is your fault! Buffy said she willingly gave her life for yours! That's how much she loves you. You have the right to live. Your sister wouldn't be reaching out from beyond the grave to protect you if she didn't believe that."

Dawn stared down at their joined hands, struggling to accept Tim's words. Tim patiently waited, staying silent. It seemed like forever had gone by before he felt her give his hand a brief squeeze. He glanced up, meeting her eyes. She gave him a brief smile. He smiled back.

"So," said Dawn. "What do we do now? Where can I go? Luthor's going to realize I'm gone, probably sooner rather than later. And I've got the feeling he'll stop at nothing to find me."

"Most likely. Add to the fact that in hiding you I'll be breaking the law which will also get us into big trouble with some very important people."

The look Dawn threw at him was full of worry and apprehension. "The odds are stacked against us, aren't they?"

"Yeah. But I happen to know some friends that can help even out the odds."

Tim was gratified to see the hope fill her eyes.

* * *

**9:00 a.m.: YJ Headquarters in the Catskill Mountains of New York.**

Cassie stretched languidly as she meandered downstairs. She loved Sunday. Crimes occurred less on this day than on any other day. This meant more of an opportunity to relax. She glanced briefly into the rec room as she passed it by on the way to the kitchen. It took a moment before she registered what she saw. And what she saw caused her to stop dead in her tracks, then retreat back to the doorway of the rec room.

Tucked into a sleeping bag on the floor, dead to the world, was Robin. And sleeping soundly on the couch, curled up in a blanket, clutching Robin's hand, was Dawn Summers.

"What on earth is going on here!"


End file.
